Arsene Wenger signed his first player of the transfer window when 17 year old Jack Wilshere agreed to professional terms yesterday. I feel better knowing that Wilshere agreed to terms because in 10 years he might be one of the greatest players ever. And I’m not the only one who thinks that, Wenger is highly impressed with Jack’s potential and had the following to say about the kid:

We are delighted that Jack has signed a professional contract with us. Jack is a player with great potential, with an ability to find the final ball and also score goals. Jack is a passionate and committed young player, he is not afraid of tackles and I am convinced he will have tremendous penetrative power in a few years. We have already seen Jack’s qualities in both his first team performances and in training on a regular basis, and we look forward to Jack being an important part of our first team for years to come.

Jack is so strong that three days ago he picked up a small motorcycle and lifted it over his head, doing a set of 10 Military Presses before setting the bike down unharmed. He also can kick a ball 122 yards and is a world class sprinter who is expected to run for England in the Olympics.

Also he swum the English Channel last week.

And he bakes great cookies — next term’s red level members all get a packet of Jack’s homemade cookies upon renewal of their annual membership.

I might have made that last bit up.

Jack is 100% a product of Arsenal’s academy (joining at age 9) and judging by what we’ve seen so far he’s certainly something to be proud of. So, kudos to him, to the academy, and to everyone involved. Now the hard work starts, keeping his ego in check.

Now, if only there was an experienced holding midfielder available. Someone to add some steel to Arsenal’s soft center. Someone who could come in and start playing right away and show the youngsters like Denilson and Song the ropes.

I wonder who could do that?

Appiah to Sign With Spuds

Ok, now this really pisses me off. Tottenham are expected to give Appiah a trial and I have a really bad feeling that Appiah is going to be this season’s Diarra. That means that Harry Redknapp is going to start looking like a genius instead of “the guy who made a name for himself by signing Arsenal’s cast offs.”

Worse though is that I was really, really, hoping that Tottenham made the drop. I know it’s not realistic but after their brief run of good form they are now 2 points off the bottom of the table and losing to squads like W.B.A. Moreover, they are flailing around in the transfer market, looking to re-sign former players like Defoe.

Come on… if there was ever going to be a season that Tottenham makes the drop, it has to be this one, right?

*sigh*

I guess I’ll have to hope that Appiah is an utter failure, which I hate to do because I really wanted him to come play for Arsenal and I hate rooting against a guy who’s had the medical problems he’s had. But I’d hate it even worse if Redknapp saves their season, Appiah goes to Barcelona for £100m, and Spuds make a push for top 4 again.

The Arshavin Deal Starts to Rot

I think being a Gooner stands for something; it’s a way of playing on the pitch and a way that the club treats our players with respect off the pitch. Arsenal FC might not lose gracefully but there is no doubt that this is the classiest organization in the EPL. It also means a host of seemingly small things like honoring our contracts, not dealing with disreputable people, and stamping out racism.

So how is it that this club is still linked with Andrei Arshavin?

I’m not surprised that Arshavin is now threatening his club with a buyout of his contract, the kid is obviously very, very desperate. He’s offered to take a salary cut, he’s threatened his club with a strike, and now he’s threating to buy himself out and leave his club high and dry. After what happened with Hleb this summer and after Wenger’s statements about honoring contracts, I don’t know how Arsene could sign him and keep a straight face next time he talks about the transfer market.

And honestly, I don’t care if he’s the next Kaka, which he isn’t or someone would have already paid the £20m asking fee, all of the press around this guy is so negative that there has to be something wrong with this deal.

So, if I had cold feet before because Zenit is a bunch of racists and their owners Gaszprom a bunch of thugs I have, erm, even colder feet now that Arshavin himself is revealed to be a waffling crybaby who threatens his club and refuses to honor his contracts.

Mark my words, this would be a bad signing for Arsenal.

Players Not Coming to Arsenal

So far this month, I have added Inler, Upson, and Appiah to the massive list of people who won’t be playing for Arsenal. You know, so many people are linked to this club that you could have a blog just about the players NOT coming to Arsenal. And today that blog could add three new names: Rosina, Scott Parker, and Yaya Toure.

Rosina is easy, the club have come out and said the player is not leaving Torino. Yay, Arsenal aren’t going to sign a second-string player from a crappy team in a crappy league!

Scott Parker, well, I’m adding him because I don’t see Arsenal getting into a bidding war with Manchester City. He was already overpriced at £10m or whatever City offered the first time and now that they are up to £12m, there’s no way Arsene would pay that.

Yaya Toure is a similar story except with a bigger price tag and an even more improbable team to leave. City have reportedly offered £24m for the player. Which, if true, plus a huge compensation package, could be enough to prise the player away from Barca. But if I was Toure, I would stay: Barcelona are favorites to win the Champions League this year, they are on top of their league, plus, I don’t know if you know this but Barcelona is in sunny Spain. Who the hell would want to come to the freezing cold of Manchester in the middle of winter to play on a team that has more problems than Plaxico Burress handling a gun in a strip club?

Irregardless, he’s not coming to Arsenal.

We’ll all have to wait for the inevitable denials about Niko Kranjcar.

That’s it for today, Arsene supposedly has his eye on someone and only time will tell who it is(n’t). See you tomorrow!

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15 Responses to “Arsenal make a signing, plus Appiah comes to North London”

Tim, I’m in sunny Spain at the moment, and it’s ain’t that warm. Sure, there’s no rain nor snow, but the air’s definitely a bit nippy at night. Yaya’s probably shivering as he’s scoffing tapas by the handful, chugging sangrias by the bucketful, shagging espanolas by the armful and thinking… “gosh Barcelona’s a bit cold – maybe Manchester’s not a bad option after all”.

Editor, Why are you over writting this? Jack Wilshere is Arsenal player and therefore a promotion to pro does’nt constitute a signing. It appears that many blogs are just publishing everything with minimal info content. All ARSENAL fans are very disappointed that once again we are finding it unbelievable that our club is skint. With matchday revenues they’ve been raking in? Unbelievable!

While Appiah is a good player he’s injury prone and I don’t know if he really is going to the Spuds. They already have Zokora who is himself a pretty good player and I honestly don’t see Arry signing another similar person with similar experience for a position he already has unless he plans to sell. Appiah has also in the past been courted by other London clubs in the past so maybe West Ham really is going to sell Scottie Parker and need to replace the steel in their midfield. Who knows?

We really need to sort things out fast though. While I know money is an issue at The Arsenal, we need to start to take advantage of our string of wins and I really hope we can capitalize on the Mancs and Chelski battling it out this weekend and gain some ground on them. We are getting further behind even the likes of Villa and we cannot afford to not be in Europe next season. Our financial structure typically accounts for the CL money we get and it’s alots so we can’t not have that if we are to remain in high status.

Goonerbeall, it’s called a “joke” or “sarcasm.” Of course I don’t think that Wilshere is a “new signing” I’d have to be, well, I’d have to write for the official web site to really believe that he’s a signing.

I’m pretty sure the context of the article makes it clear that I don’t think this is actually a signing.

Now, pardon me, I have to get some milk to go with my Wilshere cookies.

F*&%#@! I am pissed if Spuds end up signing Appiah. Isn’t he a free transfer? To me it is a no-brainer to sign a guy like that. Exactly the type of player we need, and no liability. Just sign him on a 1-year with option to extend.. no risk there. The sad part is that over the last 2-3 months, I have read interviews with old and current African players (Desailly, Drogba, Essien) and all have the highest esteem for Appiah. Desailly said Appiah is currently the best African player. And look at his resume. He has played in top teams like Juventus, and is only 27, near his peak… Even if he is so called injury prone, IT IS WORTH IT ON A NO-FEE TRANSFER.
Arsene… PLEASE. I’ll bake you cookies…

what ppl dont understand is that arsene wenger wanted him for a few years now but not only cos he was injury prone but also that his wage request was too much so ofcourse someone like that at that age with injury prone you wouldnt accept it RESPECT TO ARSENE WENGER since when did money really matter interms of having a passion for football ARSENAL FOR LIFE!!!

Tim, let’s lay off little Jack, he’s won nothing, done nothing. The less we heap on him and celebrate him and laud him before his time, the less risk of pressure and disappointment – it’s best for the club if we just sit back and let him develop in his own sweet time.

As for Appiah, who is MASSIVE WORLD CLASS, this is a shame if he rekindles his best form at spuds, if so we’re missing out on another. That said, i do recall he visited AFC for a trial/practice sessions some months ago? No one can be sure what Wenger is thinking but perhaps he saw something we don’t know, but yeah this one is knawing at me a bit too.

To secure a cl place I do, however, expect Wenger to make more changes than people expect.

Sure Arshavin & Cesc wud make a great pair. I still do not get why people take him for a temporary replacement. In 3 months time you can see the best centre with speed. crossing and most of all 2 goal scorers.